Josh G.
Yelp
It's good to go back to places you haven't been to in years, especially from a Yelp standpoint. I mean, if I were to write up Yonkers Brewing Co. from the first time I was here (a little over four years ago) then I'd probably have given the spot a solid four stars. After this most recent visit a few weeks ago, I'm feeling more of a three star kind of rating.
Don't get me wrong, it's not (necessarily) a negative three stars, but more of the idea that Yonkers isn't anything special (okay, and maybe a few small negatives I'll throw out there in a sec). I do like their brewpub-type setup and full selection of foods. Their staff/bartenders were pretty friendly which was nice to see. Oh and they did have a Mrs. PacMan arcade game there...well, maybe that's not too important.
What should really hold the most clout is the beer. Yonkers does offer up quite a variety of sud styles, though here's where things kind of started to take a few hits. Before even ordering, their physical menu printouts didn't entirely match up with what was on the tap list board. A tad annoying (I mean at least stamp these as sold out or something) when I was looking to order one of the beers they didn't have. I did end up thoroughly enjoying my French Canadian Golden Strong Ale, though beyond that, most of the other beers I tried were rather basic, perhaps even forgettable. Maybe Moo Town (a semi-creamy milk stout) might have been memorable, but things like Laughter in the Dark (dark lager), Big City (pilsner) or even Terror in the Hollows (pumpkin beer) were nothing to write home about. Again, not bad brews by any means, but I wouldn't go out of my way to consume them.
Speaking of devouring, Yonkers puts itself in the realm of restaurant by featuring a whole menu of edible options, both from a regular lunch and dinner menu as well as weekend brunch. I'll say there were plenty of items that sounded appetizing (had I/we been a tad hungrier) though my buddy was feeling the desire for some Bavarian pretzels so we at least ordered that. The two sticks that came out were hot, fresh, and flavorful, though I'm not sure I felt like they matched the pricing, especially for two small sticks.
One last item to mention would be the featured day that Yonkers was running. It was promoted on social media as a "Kid's Party" which included face painting, a DJ in the back, and the TVs all had cartoons on them. Listen, I'm not gonna say that children shouldn't be allowed in a brewery (like Two Roads, which doesn't let any kinder in). Beer drinkers have families, I get that. And hey, Yonkers isn't just a brewery as they also dabble in dining, but the whole vibe of the place was like being in Chuck E' Cheese. I was afraid of accidentally throwing out an expletive and offending someone. Yeah, we knew Yonkers was throwing this shindig the day we went, but as a brewery, I'd just stick to the idea of letting children in and not hyping up the kid factor by creating an environment that some might find uncomfortable when expecting a brewery setup. Just sayin'.
Overall, Yonkers Brewing Co. is decent. It's got a nice interior, a menu of food to chow down on, beers to drink, and I could see it being a place you might regularly visit...if you lived in Yonkers, maybe. Nothing here makes Yonkers Brewing Co. a place worth traveling to as a destination. You're better off a little further south at Gun Hill if you're really looking for that brewery ambiance. Knowing that and going back over this past experience, three stars sounds just about perfect.